Windows only: Free, open source application RSS Bandit is desktop RSS newsreader that syncs directly with Google Reader. There are a lot of reasons for and against picking desktop over web-based newsreaders, so if you're addicted to Google Reader but also want the speed and better offline capabilities of a desktop reader, the new version of RSS Bandit brings you the best of both worlds. When you're on your computer, you've got the responsiveness of a desktop reader. When you're on a public computer or at work, you can go back to the web-based comfort and speed of Google Reader.

RSS Bandit, along with other popular desktop readers like FeedDemon and NetNewsWire, also syncs with web site Newsgator for online access, but the step up to Google Reader sync for RSS Bandit is a huge improvement. RSS Bandit is free, Windows only, requires .NET 3.5. To get the Google Reader Sync functionality, you need to make sure to download the latest alpha release.